Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 953 Sun. February 04, 2007  
   
Business


Technical level talks on Doha Round resume next week


Technical level talks on the Doha Round of negotiations will resume next week, putting an end to the impasse over the WTO talks even as India's Commerce Minister Kamal Nath warned that the round could not perpetuate structural flaws in global trade and subsidy in agriculture.

"The continuation of talks is important but content of talks is equally important," Kamal Nath told PTI.

The Doha Round of negotiations of World Trade Organisation were suspended in July last year as key member countries such as the US, EU, India and Brazil failed to bridge differences over cutting farm subsidies and reducing tariffs.

Kamal Nath, who played a key role in championing the cause of the developing countries and reviving the stalled talks in Geneva last week, said, "bilaterally we have been discussing how the process should be hastened and how the process should be made effective. From next week, we will have talks at technical level."

He cautioned the developed countries that this round could not perpetuate structural flaws. "This is a development round and leadership of this round lies in the developed countries and if developed countries are looking at salvaging their economy by virtue of distorted trade with developing countries, it will not work.

"Developed countries must ensure healthy economy in developing countries. With their own market contraction in their country, the only market is in developing countries and more healthy the economy is in developing countries, more market will be open to developed countries."